Design and Construction

Safety and reliability are built into Enbridge’s energy infrastructure before, during and after the construction phase.We take care to limit our footprint, and actively manage potential effects on communities and the environment, as we build our pipeline projects.

Where possible, we use existing access routes to and from construction sites, minimize temporary workspace and curtail ground disturbance.

Screening and planning

It can take seven to nine years to build a pipeline. But it all begins with a need for energy.

We assess both the supply and demand for oil and energy over the long term, and carefully calculate the economic feasibility of a particular pipeline.

The planning process

Planning overview

Our focus is on respecting communities and the environment. We have an unwavering commitment to safety, reliability and meeting or exceeding regulatory standards.

Community engagement

This includes roundtable discussions with municipalities, landowners
and Aboriginal groups, presentations from subject-matter experts and community open houses, coffee talks and personal interactions.

Consulting with Aboriginal groups

We’re committed to providing training and employment to members of Aboriginal and Native American communities, and creating meaningful opportunities for Aboriginal and Native American businesses. We also consult with Aboriginal and Native American groups to potentially reroute around sensitive corridors.

Route planning considerations

We plan our projects with care. To help minimize our environmental footprint, we use pre-existing utility corridors where possible.

We comply with all environmental regulations and permits and seek oversight from trained, experienced environmental inspectors and resource specialists.

Discussions with government agencies

We work continuously with regulatory agencies and build environmental evaluations into construction planning.

The U.S. and Canada have had pipeline rules and guidelines in place for decades, resulting in two of the most highly regulated, and safest, pipeline industry environments in the world.

Depending on the project, we may use environmental field survey crews to evaluate and potentially reroute around environmentally sensitive areas.

Intelligent, remotely controlled valves

Intelligent, remotely controlled valves are placed at specific locations to reduce potential releases along our pipeline network.
Enbridge's pipeline control center staff, who monitor our pipeline system 24/7/365, can close an intelligent valve immediately upon detection of a problem, with full closure within three minutes of activation.

Hydrostatic testing

Cleanup and reclamation

The ROW is restored to its original condition. Topsoil is replaced and reseeded; other restoration methods include tree planting and environmental monitoring.

Operations and Maintenance

Once a pipeline enters service, it enjoys a very long life, through safe operations,
prevention, monitoring and maintenance activities. We work hard to meet or exceed
the strict safety and reliability standards enforced in the United States and Canada.

Preventative maintenance digs.

Maintaining pipeline fitness

Preventative maintenance digs are an important part of keeping our pipelines healthy and fit for purpose.

When our state-of-the-art in-line inspection (ILI) tools, using ultrasound or magnetic flux leakage (MFL) technology, find something that requires a closer look, we excavate the pipe at that location so we can examine it and make any necessary repairs.

Sometimes we find that no repair is required, but each of these preventative maintenance digs adds to our overall knowledge about the line’s condition.

Operations and maintenance

Once a pipeline enters service, it enjoys a very long life, through safe operations,
prevention, monitoring and maintenance activities. We work hard to meet or exceed
the strict safety and reliability standards enforced in the United States and Canada.

Safe operations, vigilance and an abundance of caution

Safety is the No. 1 priority

Every batch of oil that enters our mainline pipeline network is tested for viscosity, density, temperature, volatility and sediment-and-water content, and we strictly enforce these standards. Contrary to a myth promoted by pipeline opponents, it’s important to note that crude from Canada’s oil sands carries no internal corrosivity risk.

Preventative maintenance digs
When an in-line inspection finds something that requires a closer look, we excavate the pipe at that location so we can examine it and make any necessary repairs.

Sometimes we find that no repair is required, but each of these preventative maintenance digs adds to our overall knowledge about the line's condition.

Cathodic protection
We use cathodic protection on our pipelines—that’s the application of low-voltage electrical current—to protect the pipe from external corrosion.

Emergency response

We hope we never have to respond to a pipeline incident – but if we do, we’re ready. In the unlikely event of a leak, we maintain strong emergency preparedness and response systems that we regularly test, and continuously improve, alongside first responders, emergency management officials, and law enforcement.

Since 2012, we've invested more than $74 million in equipment and training to improve our overall emergency preparedness and response capacity.

In 2014, we held 371 drills, exercises, and equipment deployments across North America to boost our emergency response preparedness.

Public awareness

Third-party damage is one of the leading causes of pipelines leaks.

We keep in constant communication with neighbouring communities to ensure
they stay safe and avoid accidentally damaging to our pipelines.

Working with authorities

We work closely with municipal officials and first responders near our pipelines to maintain close relationships.

Emergency Responder Education Program
We give emergency responders and 9-1-1 call center personnel free, unlimited access to online training designed to help them respond safely and effectively to any pipeline emergency.

Emergency Response Ambassadors
We’ve developed this in-person outreach program in the U.S. to provide further support by developing meaningful and lasting relationships with first response organizations.

We maintain a positive working relationship with regulatory agencies in the U.S. and Canada. We are dedicated to meeting or exceeding regulatory demands to help ensure the safety and reliability standards that communities expect.

Decommissioning

Landowners are not responsible for Enbridge's decommissioned or deactivated pipelines. We are—forever.

Safety

Now that you've explored what we do to safely plan, build, operate and maintain our pipelines, you may want to explore all of the ways Enbridge works to ensure safety for our communities across our facilities and operations.

Decommissioning (Canada)/Deactivation (U.S.)

Our responsibility
We remove any oil from the line, wipe and clean the walls, and physically disconnect the pipeline from our network.

Continuous monitoring
We continue to monitor decommissioned or deactivated pipelines, just as we do with active pipelines. This includes:

- Cathodic protection to curb corrosion.

- Maintaining the corridor, signage and contact info.

- Maintaining the pipeline’s profile for Call/Click Before You Dig programs.

Minimizing impacts
Decommissioned or deactivated pipelines are left in place to minimize the effect on communities and the environment.

Long-term stability
A decommissioned or deactivated pipeline has a very long remaining life as a load-bearing structure. This reduces the risk of soil stability issues, and avoids major construction activities required to remove the pipe.

Now that you've explored what we do to safely plan, build, operate and maintain our pipelines, you may want to explore all of the ways Enbridge works to ensure safety for our communities across our facilities and operations.